Tuesday 22 April 2008

Africa plans biggest dam project

A plan to build the largest and most powerful hydroelectric dam in the world is being discussed in London. The scheme in the Democratic Republic of Congo would generate twice as much energy as China's Three Gorges dam. It is hoped it will boost Africa's electricity supply by a third, but objectors say it will not help the poorest Africans. They still have no electricity. In order that construction can start as planned in 2014, the World Energy Council is calling for study to be done as soon as possible. The Grand Inga project would be built on the Congo river alongside two hydroelectric schemes which are there already and is expected to be working between 2020 and 2025. This is not a new idea. The idea for the project was first discussed in the 1980s, but political unrest in the DR Congo meant that the plans could not proceed. Will this be the solution to African poverty? Read the rest here.

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